


Little by Little

by ahandacrosstime



Category: British Actor RPF, Marvel Cinematic Universe RPF
Genre: (is lemon still a thing?), Best Friends, Comfort, Drama, Drinking, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Hubby Material Hiddles, Imagine the Pillowiest Cotton Candy, Lemon, Light Angst, No Actual Cheating, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Protective Tom Hiddleston, Slow Burn, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Unrequited Love, mentions of cheating
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-23
Updated: 2019-05-01
Packaged: 2019-11-04 07:08:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17893838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ahandacrosstime/pseuds/ahandacrosstime
Summary: Tom lives with his best friend in London, and despite rumors, that's all they are. She's seeing someone, and he's married to his work anyway. It's not like she'd be interested... Right?This started as a re-write of my fic Hot Headed, and decided to take on a life of its own. Tags will be added as I update.





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

 

Shoving open your front door, you walk into your apartment while calling out to your roommate and best friend, “Tom! I’m home!” _And totally starving_ , you mentally add as your stomach growls, not satisfied with the small salad you’d had for dinner.

“In the kitchen,” Tom yells back. “How was the date?”

“Really good, Mark’s such wonderful guy.” You say with enthusiasm, missing the way his face falls slightly at that. You had a habit of being very picky when it came to dating (what was the point when the man you really wanted was your best friend?), so anyone who got more than a couple dates was pretty lucky. So far you and Mark had been on three.

You stride into the kitchen and chuck your bag onto the table, falling ungracefully onto a stool. “It’s like, 10 at night, why are you cooking?” You ask, trying to change the subject.

“I just got back from filming a little bit ago, and I didn’t feel like getting takeaway again.” Tom states like it was obvious, “Here, I know you don’t eat properly on your dates,” he smiles while passing you a bowl of pasta. “And just a green salad does not count as eating!”

You take the bowl with a quiet “thanks,” and scarf down the homemade goodness, failing to notice the way Tom watches you with a small grin on his face.

“Good love?” He asks, chuckling when you slurp the last noodles into your mouth and nod. “Would you like seconds?”

“Do you even need to ask Tom? You know I love it when you cook for me.” You laugh while passing him you bowl, only to get it back seconds later with more food. You take it slower this time, chatting with Tom about your day. After what feels like only a few minutes, you look up at the clock and cringe at the time. “Midnight, I should be getting to bed, and you should too. We both have work tomorrow.” You get up and put your dishes in the sink, then turn and give Tom a quick hug before shuffling upstairs to get ready for bed, and falling asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow.

\---

You wake up the next morning to clattering in the kitchen. You look at the clock and see that it’s already 8:30 am. _Well shit_ , you think, jumping out of bed and rushing to get showered and dressed. I guess it’s a no breakfast kind of day. You run downstairs, and through the kitchen, mumbling a quick “good morning” to Tom before grabbing your bag and putting your shoes on.

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” Tom asks from the kitchen.

“No time for breakfast today, I’m late!” You shout back, donning your coat and double checking that you have everything. Startling when Tom silently walks up to you and places a paper lunch sack into your bag.

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, eat it on the tube.” He says before ushering you out of the door. “Now run, you don’t want to be late!” You thank him as you rush towards the nearest tube station, dreading the full day of meetings and planning ahead of you.

\---

At 6:30, you leave work, running to the grocery store for some items before flagging a taxi and heading home. You wrestle the door open with all of your groceries on your arms, and make your way to the kitchen. After putting it all away and changing into comfy clothes you send a text off to Tom,

-Making pizza tonight, what time will you be home?-

and head back to the kitchen to prep everything you’ll need. By the time that’s all done it’s 8:15 and you haven’t heard from Tom. Just as you’re about to text him again your phone buzzes and you smile when you see it’s him.

-Don’t wait up, I’m going out.-

The smile fades from your face and you quickly reply,

-Okay, have a good night then.-

and put your phone away, then open a bottle of wine and pour yourself a glass. Tom “going out” usually meant he’d go to an A list party and hookup with whichever woman caught his eye that night. Not something you wanted to think about.

It’s only after three glasses of wine that you finally finish making your pizza, and two more glasses before you’ve eaten your fill. Drunk and clumsy you put away the leftovers, and put your dishes in the sink. _I’ll deal with them in the morning_ , you think before settling down on the couch to watch T.V. and try to keep your mind off of Tom.

You don’t realize that you’d fallen asleep until you feel a warm hand on your shoulder gently shaking you.

“Y/N, wake up love. You should go to bed.”

Tom. You open your eyes slowly and see him towering over you, silhouetted by the T.V. playing in the background.

“Come on darling, it’s almost 2 in the morning. Let’s get you to bed.”

“Don’t wanna,” you respond, snuggling deeper into the couch and closing your eyes again. “M’comfy here. What're you doing home anyways? Thought you were going out?”

You hear him sigh, and feel the couch dip by your feet. “I did, and now I’m home.” He grabs your curled up legs and swings them onto the floor. “Didn’t want to spend the night on a couch. You shouldn't spend the night on a couch either. Now come on love, up you get.” He says as he stands, holding his hands out for you to take. You grab them and stand, stumbling a little from the wine.

“Okay love?” Tom chuckles as he slips a large hand to your lower back to steady you.

“Thanks, just drank a little too much wine.” You reply, blushing at the contact and hoping he can’t see it in the dimness of the room. You turn the T.V. off and grab your glass, putting it in the kitchen before turning to Tom to say goodnight, then heading to your room, completely oblivious to the way he watches you trip up the stairs with a soft smile on his face.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

 

Stretching as you slowly come to consciousness, you hear your phone ringing. Pressing answer before you even look at who it is is your first mistake, your second is answering with, “This is Y/N, how can I help you?”

“Y/FN Y/LN?” This is Kelly Jasper at The Sun Magazine, do you have time to answer a few ques-”

You don’t hear the rest of what she said as you quickly hang up the phone and stare at the screen. 5 texts from your best friend, 2 from your sister, and a call from your mom. _What the hell is going on?_ You think as you open the texts from your best friend.

-I can’t believe you didn’t tell me!-

-Text me back damnit!-

-Y/N?-

-Call me!-

-Helllloooo???-

Then your sister,

-Who’s the dude, and why are the paparazzi still convinced you’re dating Tom?-

-Mom’s freaking out, you’d better call her.-

 _Dating Tom?_ Your heart flutters at the thought. _What the fuck is going on?_ You open google and do a search. Within seconds you’re staring at the most insane headlines you think you’ll ever see in your life.

**“Tom Hiddleston and Mystery Girlfriend Call it Quits?”**

**“Longtime Girlfriend of Tom Hiddleston Bored?”**

**“Trouble in Paradise? Hiddleston’s Mystery Girlfriend Spotted Kissing Other Men.”**

They went on and on like that. You click on an article and begin reading:

 _“Tom Hiddleston seen Friday night partying with longtime friend Michael Fassbender after alleged breakup with his mysterious girlfriend. Sources say their relationship has been going downhill since last month when they were spotted having an argument at a charity gala. Infidelity on her part as well as Tom’s hectic schedule played part in the break up. Seen here kissing and unknown party goer last night, it looks like Tom isn’t too torn up about the split. No word yet from his girlfriend, though she was seen Thursday lip-locking with founder of the “Creative Youth Foundation for Foster Kids,” Mark Belhiem after an intimate dinner.”_  
-Marta Seil, Journalist at Fuzzfed News

Laughing you reply to your best friend and sister,

-Tabloids lie! I’ve been on a few dates with a guy from that charity thing Tom and I went to last month, and suddenly the world is ending?-

Then make a mental note to call your mom back later in the day, and stand to make your way downstairs, skimming through several other articles on your way to the kitchen. _Girlfriend? I wish!_ You look up from your phone when you hear Tom clear his throat.

“Morning Tom, have you seen these crazy articles yet? They still think I’m your girlfriend! Imagine that.” You scoff, nudging Tom in the side as you move past him to the coffee maker. “And better yet, they think that I’m cheating on you!” You giggle, pouring yourself a cup, then turning to look back at Tom, judging his reaction.

“I’m so sorry Y/N, I’ll call a few people and get this cleared up. I thought I made it very clear that we’re just friends the last time they tried to drag you into their tabloid drama.” Tom says with a sigh, brow furrowed as he picks up his phone and walks into the other room. Your heart drops and you can hear him talking after a few moments, and decide to go back upstairs to get dressed. _Just friends, of course._

When you come back down Tom is nowhere to be seen, and his keys and wallet are gone from the hall table. _Must have gone out. Maybe work called him in._ You think as you get to work tidying the apartment, cleaning up from the previous night and making a to do list for yourself, all the while trying to keep your mind off of Tom.

It isn’t until you come back from picking up your clothes from the dry cleaner later that afternoon that you see Tom again. Sitting at the dining room table with a copy of The Sun Magazine, your face plastered across the front and the headline,

**“A Mystery No More. Read All About Y/FN Y/LN, Tom Hiddleston’s Mystery Woman.”**

Throwing your clothes onto the back of a chair, you grab the magazine from Tom, sighing as you begin to read the article inside.

_“Many of you have been wondering who this woman we keep seeing with Tom Hiddleston is. Well I’m happy to tell you that I’ve finally cracked the mystery! Y/FN Y/LN is a 29 year old American from Seattle Washington. According to inside sources Y/N and Tom have known each other since 2011 when they met during the filming of “Marvels: The Avengers.” She was the costume and design assistant assigned to him throughout the film, and they allegedly hit it off right away. After filming wrapped they kept in touch, and saw each other between projects. Then in 2013 Y/N moved permanently to Tom’s residence in London after accepting a job at a local theater as a Costuming Manager, though at the time Tom released a statement saying that the two were “close friends,” but nothing more._

_The couple had remained mostly out of the public’s eye until October of last year when they walked the red carpet together at the premiere of “Thor: Ragnarok.” Since then, they’ve been seen together a handful of times at various premieres and charity events, most recently last month at the Creative Youth Foundation charity gala where she met founder Mark Belheim. This is also the night she and Tom were said to have had an argument and left the gala separately. The relationship between Y/N and Mark is unknown, although it’s rumored that they may be dating._  
-Kelly Jasper, Editor at The Sun Magazine.

“Y/N, I-” Tom starts to speak before you shush him.

“We avoided them for as long as we could Tom, I keep telling you that I don’t care if they know who I am. As long as the people I care about know the truth, fuck the rest of them. That being said, I need to call Mark.” You say, picking your dry cleaning back up, and heading to your room. You send off a text to Mark, asking if you can call him soon, then dial your mom.

“Y/N! Thank God! What’s all this in the news about you cheating on Tom? I raised you better than that, you’re throwing away a perfectly good hunk, and a british one at that!!” Your mother answers with a chuckle. “I’m sure he’s heartbroken!”

“Mom! You obviously didn’t see the article about him going to that party last night! I mean, how could he?” You laugh, pretending to be choked up. “He’s awfully sorry about the whole thing, like it’s all his fault. I keep telling him not to worry about it, but he feels so bad that I’m getting dragged through the dirt just because we’re close.”

“You could always make me the happiest mom in the world and actually start dating him! Clear up all the rumors.” She teases. “I don’t know how you can live with him and not want to jump his bones! He’s like a living sculpture. A Gree-”

“MOM! Gross, stop! You know it’s not like that between us, and I don’t want to hear my own mother drooling over one of my best friends! We’ve lived together for nearly five years, I think if something were to happen it would have already happened. I’m perfectly happy with our relationship as it is. Anyways, I’ve been seeing someone…” If only she knew how you felt about Tom, you’d never hear the end of it.

“Oh, the charity guy? What’s his name, Mark something? How’s that going?”

“Yeah, Mark, Mark Belheim. I think it’s going really well! We’ve been on a few dates, and mom, he’s just the sweetest guy I’ve ever met, other than Tom of course. He truly has a heart of gold.” You gush, giving her the details of how you met, and your dates.

After a few more minutes of small talk you say goodbye, then dial Mark.

“Y/N, I’m a little busy at the moment, why don’t I call you back?” Mark answers after a few rings.

“Oh, oka-” You get out before he hangs up on you. _Weird._ Putting your phone down, you grab a book you’ve been reading and settle into bed.

Hours later your phone finally buzzes, and you see that Mark sent you a text.

-Y/N, sorry but I don’t think this is going to work out.-


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone knows or is interested in being a beta reader for me, I could desperately use one! I try to edit to the best of my abilities, but it would be nice to have a second set of eyes (and brain) to help things along. Let me know!!

“Well fuck you and your reputation!” You yell over the phone, and quickly hang up. 

 

You can’t wrap your head around the fact that Mark had dumped you because you had “tarnished his reputation.” Turns out he only cared about how you made him look, and with this whole Tom thing, true or not, he looked like a “dirty homewrecker,” as he put it. He had seemed so nice and respectable, you never would have guessed that he cared more about his reputation than the truth. You’re glad you’d only been on a few dates and hadn’t invested too much emotionally, but it was still a blow to your self esteem.

 

Exhausted you fall into bed and cocoon yourself in the covers.  _ Maybe if I hide from the world it’ll stop trying to hurt me.  _ You think as you queue up Netflix, dead set on binge watching until you pass out.

 

Tom is seething mad when he comes to say goodnight and finds you curled up in bed sulking. He gently demands that you tell him what happened as he crosses the room to you, sitting down on your bed and pulling you into his arms.

 

“I never liked him anyways,” Tom claims after you explain. “The way he acted around you was so different to how he usually acts at events, but I didn’t want to say anything and ruin it if he was sincere. I’m sorry Y/N.” He holds you tighter and strokes your hair as you grow tired.

 

“It sucks because he ticked like, every box on my perfect guy list.”  _  The list that I based off of you.  _ You think snuggling in closer, enjoying the rare chance to be so close to Tom. “Well every box except for the ‘not an asshole’ one I guess.” You sigh, fighting a yawn.  _ Damn, who knew Tom was so comfortable and warm. _ Your mind drifts as your eyes slip closed. Tom chuckles and you smile softly at the sound.

 

“Doesn’t mean I’m not sorry love.” He whispers into the top of your head.

 

You barely notice his grip relaxing a little bit and breathing becoming slower before your own evens out and you fall asleep in the arms of the man you truly want.

 

\---

 

Waking up had always been your least favorite thing about mornings, second only to getting out of bed. So it’s odd to you that as you come to consciousness you’re warm and content, and not the least bit cranky. Hoping to keep the warm fuzzy feeling of contentment for as long as possible, you snuggle into the warmth surrounding you, moaning a little bit as it seems to hold you closer. You pass in and out of sleep like this for a little bit, warm and more cozy than you ever remember being in your bed. It’s not until you try to turn over that you realize you aren’t alone in your bed. This realization comes in the form of a groan as someone pulls you closer into them, pressing a  _ very _ awake part of their anatomy against your ass.

 

In less than a second you’re fully awake and stock still.  _ I don’t remember coming home with anyone last night. I haven’t gotten that wasted since college.  _ You think with a groan, expecting your head to be pounding as you slowly open your eyes.  _ I don’t even remember going out… _ You realize before the events of the previous night come crashing back to you.  _ Shit shit shit, what now? _ You ask yourself, trying to decide between staying where you are and pretending to be asleep when Tom wakes up, or trying to get out of his embrace without waking him up, and pretending like nothing happened. The decision is made for you when Tom’s grip tightens again, and he groans into you hair, the sound doing nothing to calm your racing heart. Your body goes limp as you try to relax your breathing and pretend to be asleep. You feel Tom nuzzle into the back of your neck and take a deep breath, groaning your name and pressing closer. Your swear your heart stops at the sound of your name.  _ This can’t be real, I must be hearing things. No way my best friend that I’m secretly in love with just moaned my name in his sleep. _

 

Mind racing, it takes everything in you to remain still as Tom slowly wakes up. You know the moment he realizes the position he’s in as his body tenses, a quiet “fuck” muttered under his breath as he pulls back as much as he can without jostling you. Sadness washes over you at that, and you wait for him to continue to move, to silently slip out of your room and pretend like this never happened. He doesn’t. Tom stays still for a moment before shocking you.

 

“Y/N, darling. I know you’re awake.” He whispers, placing a hand over your heart, and relaxing his grip on you. “Your breathing has quickened, and I can feel your heart racing.”

 

_ I’ve died and gone to heaven. That’s the only explanation. _ With that thought in mind you decide to see where this will go, moaning as you stretch and turn onto your back so you can look at Tom. He looks back at you, eyes exuding sleepy contentment, mouth turned up in a satisfied little smile.  _ Definitely in heaven, or maybe I’m still asleep. Damn I’m going to be so disappointed if this turns out to be a dream. _ You hear Tom clear his throat a little, and blush, realizing that he’s said something while you had been staring at his lips.

 

“Sorry?”

 

“We should probably get up, by the looks of it, it’s probably well past nine.” He supplies before sitting up and running a hand through his hair and yawning. “Meet you downstairs in 10 for pancakes?” He asks as he gets up and heads to the door.

 

“Oh, sure.” You reply, heart sinking a little bit at how casual he’s being.  _ We woke up together, and he’s acting like it’s an everyday occurance. I’m well and good in the friendzone aren’t I? _

 

\--- Tom POV ---

 

For Tom, waking up in the middle of a wet dream about his roommate and best friend was pretty common. Sure, he felt guilty about it, but it’s not like he could control his dreams right? Plus Tom had had a crush on Y/N since the second week on set of the Avengers. She had had a boyfriend at the time so he never made a move, and by the time it was over, she had become one of his closest friends, and he didn’t want to ruin that if she didn’t feel the same way. Fast forward eight years, and nothing had changed. Tom kept his feelings to himself, and put on a happy face whenever Y/N started dating anyone new, being supportive even though all he wanted was her for himself.

 

His dream slipping away, Tom felt his length pressing against his pajama bottoms. Rolling his hips for a little bit of friction, and clutching the pillow he was holding tighter to his chest he groaned Y/N’s name, pretending it was her curled up in front of him. It was something he did most mornings, wishfully pretending he was holding his best friend, and imagining what it would be like to wake up with Y/N in his arms. This morning in particular he swears he can smell her shampoo, and the pillow, is it… warm? Tom slowly opens his eyes and tenses, letting out a quiet “fuck,” when he realizes that he fell asleep comforting her last night. Pulling away enough that she won’t feel evidence of his arousal, he takes a minute to collect himself.  _ How the bloody hell am I meant to get out of this? Fuck, is she awake already? Her heart is beating like a jackhammer. _

 

“Y/N, darling. I know you’re awake.” Tom whispers, placing a hand over her heart, and relaxing his hold on her. “Your breathing has quickened, and I can feel your heart racing.” And with that she lets out the most tantalizing groan and turns onto her back to look at him.  _ Holy hell this woman is going to be the death of me. Fuck I need to say something before she gets weirded out. _ “Breakfast love? It’s probably pretty late already.”  _ She’s just looking at me… Have I done something wrong?  _ He clears his throat and her eyes go to his, a blush coloring her cheeks.

 

“Sorry?”  _ She’s even more enchanting having just woken up. _

 

“We should probably get up, by the looks of it, it’s probably well past nine.” Tom supplies before sitting up and running a hand through his hair and yawning. “Meet you downstairs in 10 for pancakes?” He asks getting up, carefully maneuvering in hopes that she won’t notice his still hard member, and heads to the door.

 

“Oh, sure.” Y/N replies, a little crease between her eyebrows.  _ I wonder what she’s thinking about. Is it weird to her that we woke up together? Should I mention it, or just leave it be? I’m too far into the friendzone aren’t I? _


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little flirting, a little drama... What could go wrong?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Throws new chapter at you and scurries away in shame*
> 
> Sorry this took me so long, my internet and computer have a love/hate relationship with me, where the internet only connects if I have a VPN running (figured that out the hard way). V annoying, but I should be able to update regularly now.
> 
> Sorry for any typos, it's just me, myself, and I writing/editing this. If anyone wants to beta I would be forever thankful!

**Chapter Four**

  
  
  
  


“Blueberry or banana?” Tom calls as you make your way down into the kitchen.

 

“Ummm, chocolate chip. Obviously!” You say, reaching up on tip toes to grab a bag from the pantry. “Come here you little buggers.” You mutter as your fingertips brush the bag, barely too far up for you to reach. Intent on trying to get them yourself, you don’t notice the hungry look in Tom’s eyes as he watches you, shirt riding up to reveal the small of your back. You certainly don’t hear him as he walks up behind you, and you jolt when you feel him press up against your back, a hand brushing your exposed hip to steady you, as he easily reaches the chocolate chips before stepping back to the stove and sprinkling some into the pan.

 

“You’re a terrible influence darling, I’m supposed to be on a diet.” He says as he pops a few chips between his kissable pink lips.  _ I totally wish I was that chocolate right now. _

 

Moving around Tom you grab a small handful of the chocolatey goodness, making sure to moan right in Tom’s space as you slide past him, a few morsels in your mouth. “‘M not the one who suggested pancakes. Plus, it’s dark chocolate, that’s supposed to be good for you!” Hopping onto the counter next to Tom, you sit and level him with what you hope is a sultry look, “Plus, who can say no to  _ chocolate _ .” You whisper, and smile when the tips of his ears go red and he looks away to flip pancakes onto plates.

 

“Well obviously neither of us can, here.” He hands you a plate before grabbing his own and digging in. “You know, I could get used to this Sunday morning routine.”

 

You choke a little bit on the pancake in your mouth, surprised by his words.  _ He probably just means the pancakes calm down, play it cool. _ “Yeah, pancakes are a great way to start the day, especially when your super amazing actor roommate makes them for you!”  _ Awesome, so smooth Y/N. _

 

“Ehehehe, well I have to make sure my very flattering roommate counterpart is well fed and cared for. It wouldn’t do well to have her starve. Then who would keep me company in this big old house?” He teases with a wink.

 

“Speaking of company, thank you for last night. It was nice to not be alone.”  _ Wow, way to just blurt it into conversation Y/N. _

 

“Of course! I hate seeing my best friend hurting. Sometimes a shoulder to cry on is just the thing you need. Now, are you going to help me with dishes?” Tom says quickly, changing the subject before you can bring up this morning. _Best friend, of course_ _._  You hop off the counter and grab a towel.

  
  


\---

  
  


Things went back to normal after that. You focused hard on your work, and with a new show opening in just under two months you had plenty to occupy your mind. So much in fact that you had barely seen or talked to Tom all week, only sending a few quick texts here and there.

 

It had crossed your mind a few times to just sleep on the couch in the dressing room to save yourself time commuting, and Sunday morning finds you having done just this. Curled up on the couch snoring, with a muslin mock up half stitched and pinned to a form, seven more hung on the rack across the room. You are roused from sleep by a gentle shaking.

 

“Y/N, it’s 5am, people are going to be coming in to rehearse in less than an hour. You should probably get up dear.” Sitting up you stretch and look at the clock, cursing when you confirm the time. You hadn’t meant to fall asleep, promising yourself at 8pm that you’d head home after you finished one more mockup. Four and a half later you could barely keep your eyes open. “You’ve been here practically 24/7 this week, take today and tomorrow off. Get some sleep and relax a little.” Jess, the theater’s general manager, gives you a smile and heads towards her office. “And don’t you dare argue! Benny can finish the mock ups and the two of you can start on alterations when you come in Tuesday!” She shouts from the hallway just as you open your mouth to argue.

 

You gather your work and leave it in your office for your assistant Benny, along with some detailed notes before grabbing your purse and coat and making your way towards home. Once sitting on the train you pull out your phone and check it, swearing when you see how many missed calls and messages you have.  _ Tom’s probably worried sick _ . Quickly you read through the texts.

 

4:39pm

-Chicken Marsala for dinner-

-When will you be home?-

 

5:23pm

-Busy day? Text me when you can I haven’t see you all week.-

 

6:41pm

-Dinners ready, call me.-

 

7:00pm

Missed Call from Tom

 

7:07pm

-You’re worrying me Y/N. Please call me back.-

 

7:45pm

Missed Call from Tom

Missed Call from Tom

Voicemail -  _ Y/N, I’m hoping you’re just busy at work and not avoiding me. I know you’ve got a lot on your plate with the new show but I’m worried about you. Let me know your safe. Call me back _ .

 

8:36

-Dinner is in the fridge-

 

9:40pm

Missed Call from Tom

Missed Call from Tom

Voicemail -  _ I’m really worried about you Y/N. You never go this long without answering your phone. I tried to call your office and it went to voicemail as well. I hope you’re okay. Call me when you get this _ .

 

9:42pm

-If you don’t answer me by 10pm I’m going to come down there…-

 

9:43pm

-Come on Y/N-

 

9:48pm

-You’re going to make me leave the house after 10pm?-

 

9:55pm

-Y/N….-

 

9:58pm

Missed Call from Tom

Voicemail -  _ I logged into your find my phone to locate you. I hope I didn’t do anything to make you upset with me, but that’s the only reason I can think for why you’d be ignoring me. Call me when you decide to I guess, at least let me know if you’re coming home _ …

 

10:38pm

-Whatever I did I’m sorry. Please, all I care is that you’re safe.

 

1:03am

-I’m going to bed. Whatever I did to piss you off doesn’t warrant worrying me like this. Have some maturity. I alway make sure you know when I’m not coming home or going to be late. It would be nice if you had the courtesy to do the same.

 

_ Well fuck, I don’t think I’ve ever made Tom mad before _ . As soon as you make your way through his messages you send off a quick text apologizing and promising to call once you’re off the train. Your phone immediately buzzes and Tom’s name flashes on the screen.

 

“Hey Tom, I’m so so sorry! I got caught up-”

 

“Save it Y/N. Whatever excuse you’ve come up with isn’t going to cut it. Do you know how worried I’ve been? I had half a mind to call the police and report you missing. I thought you’d been taken, murdered. I was up all night, I couldn’t get any sleep without knowing if you were safe or not!”

 

“Tom! Jess just woke me up not 20 minutes ago. I was working on costumes all night and didn’t notice the time. I wound up falling asleep on the couch in the dressing room. Jess sent me home with orders not to come back until Tuesday. I didn’t mean to worry you, I was going to head home around 7pm, but then I got on a roll and kept deciding to do just one more piece… I’m really sorry Tom.” You finished with a sniffle, trying not to cry. Even if it was a misunderstanding, it felt awful to have Tom mad at you.

 

“Damn it Y/N, next time call me if you even  _ think _ you’re going to be late, let alone sleeping there. You really freaked me out. Are you on your way home now?”

 

“Yeah, two stops. I’ll see you when I get home yeah?” You ask, feeling a bit like a scolded child.

 

“I’ll start breakfast.” Is all he says before hanging up.

 

15 minutes later you’re rushing up the steps when the front door swings open and Tom steps out, pulling you into a hug. It takes a minute before he lets you go, stepping back and studying your face.

 

“I was so frightened I would never see you again, or that I’d be the one to have to ID you after you’d been fished out of the Thames or something.” Tom says with a sheen in his eyes.”And then I thought you were mad at me, and that was almost worse. I couldn't imagine not having you around, you're my best friend.” He pulls you in for another hug before leading you inside. With another sheepish apology you follow him, putting you things down before heading into the kitchen for breakfast.

  
After you’ve eaten and helped clean up you sit with Tom in the lounge, legs over his lap, and watch the news. Well, you’re watching him watch the news and thinking about what his concern for you means as your eyelids droop.  _ Why was he so worried about me… Mom never used to freak out that much when I didn’t come home. He’s so protective. Is it bad that I think it’s kinda hot? He’s like my very own knight in shining armor _ .

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback is much appreciated!


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